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Bridget Jones’s Baby Reviewed by Clayton Barnett

The continuing adventures of British publishing executive Bridget Jones as she enters her 40s.

The Review

Bridget is back, and while the delivery is a bit late, her third outing is a surprise bundle of laughs.

It’s been 12 years since the pretty forgettable sequel Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason but the wait rewards you with the charm of the 2001 original, probably thanks to the return of Bridget Jones’s Diary director Sharon Maguire.

After taking my mum to see another favourite dredged up from the past, Absolutely Fabulous, I took her along with zero expectations of something ten years too late as well - but was actually pleasantly surprised. It’s funny from the start with a great cameo from Ed Sheeran, and the audience had consistent laughs throughout and it wasn’t all silly slapstick at Bridget’s expense like The Edge of Reason.

Texan Renne Zellweger has taken a break for the last six years, she still looks the same to me and hasn’t lost her spot-on British accent and utter charm. Enjoying a bit of a renaissance thanks to action-man status in The KIngsman, Colin Firth is in great stiff-upper-lip form, adding some great lawyer laughs at his expense and a nice sentimental touch. Patrick Dempsey, stepping in for Hugh Grant, is a little one-dimensional but luckily there’s some new supporting characters that steal the show, including new bestie and TV host Miranda (Sarah Solemani). The other newbie is the best thing in the film, Emma Thompson is just hilarious stealing every scene she’s in as Bridget’s no-nonsense gynaecologist. You may wonder where Hugh Grant is but his absence is nicely handled, and the film fares better with fresh faces anyway.

While it may be a bit formulaic and predictable at times there are just as many memorable scenes as the first instalment - my mum was in stitches when the boys had to get Bridget to the hospital. Emma Thompson came on for re-writes and I can only think how much she tweaked this tale for the better.

The Verdict

Like catching up with old friends, it might have been awhile since you saw them but things are just as funny and heartwarming as the first time. Definitely a good night out for the girls, and it’s not the worst way to spend a night out with your mum either.

According to Colin Firth, his new rival, Patrick Dempsey's Jack Qwant, is more intimidating than his former opponent, Hugh Grant's Daniel Cleaver; "Mark didn't think Daniel was better than him. This guy Jack seems to be more of the charming good guy, and in some ways that's scarier."

This is not a film adaptation of Helen Fielding's "Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy", the third novel in the Bridget Jones series, released in 2013. Instead it's based on an original screenplay which Fielding wrote with David Nicholls.

Sally Phillips was originally unable to reprise her part as Shazza, when the movie was set to film in 2012, due to her own real-life pregnancy.

Scenes set at the British summer music festival at Glastonbury were filmed during wintertime in England.

Hugh Grant will not return to reprise his role as Daniel Cleaver.

Ed Sheeran revealed his involvement in the film on his Instagram account, with a selfie of himself and Renée Zellweger.

The production start date of the third 'Bridget Jones' film is October 2nd 2015. This is 11 years after the previous entry in the series was released.